It’s the start of the fall semester, and UMass Boston has a massive influx of new students. Incoming freshmen and transfer students are arriving by the dozens, wide-eyed and ready to take on the city. Some of them are not only new to the school, but to the city of Boston as a whole. What can these students do to get acclimated to the city?
The city of Boston is creative and colorful. There are hundreds of artistic exhibitions, museums, murals and shops for newcomers to visit. As an arts writer and a relatively new inhabitant of the city, here are some of my favorite creative places to check out this fall.
The Museum of Fine Arts is always a hit with UMass Boston students, in large part because students get in for free. With your student ID, you can experience the entire museum for no cost, which leads to a good few hours of entertainment. There is a wide variety of exhibits to walk through, with displays from primitive eras to modern time periods.
It’s not just for show, however. The museum also offers guided tours, concerts and endless classes in whatever art medium you choose. Tickets are required for these sessions, but for students who want to spend a weekend learning printmaking, drawing or jewelry-making, it’s well worth the price.
For those who have a greater appreciation for the written word, Boston is rife with bookshops. One of the largest is Brattle Book Shop, located on West Street. Advertised as one of America’s oldest and largest used bookshops, this place has a lot to offer; they buy used books from anyone who is willing to bring them, and they have an online search form that allows readers to find a specific book they want.
The shop is mainly known for their outside sale lot. Right beside the storefront is an array of metal carts, and yellow signs advertise books are “five dollars each.” That’s a pretty good deal for most readers! The giant pencil that makes up the store’s sign points right in the direction of the carts, so they’re impossible to miss.
Students don’t have to leave UMass Boston’s backyard to appreciate creativity. Ever since 2016, the school has had its very own art gallery right in University Hall. The gallery includes both solo and group exhibitions meant to strike interest, inspiration and knowledge in students from all walks of life.
The latest exhibition is called “Nurture: Empathy for the Earth,” and it was created by a wide variety of artists. It exists as part of an academic conference known as “Thinking About Climate Change: Art, Science, and Imagination in the 21st Century.” The display will include an array of pieces that incorporate the natural world into visual art, showing viewers the importance of protecting the natural environment.
“Nurture” will be on display from Sept. 3 until Dec. 14, with a public reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26. The UMass Boston gallery will remain open throughout the year and cycle through exhibits, so be sure to stay tuned for what comes next.
